CHONGQING, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Fresh off earning a partial playing card for the 2025 U.S. LPGA Tour, Wang Xinying is back in China this week, aiming for her first win on home soil as the China Sports Lottery Chongqing Women's Open tees off Thursday.
The Beijing native is coming off a strong season stateside on the Tour, where she made 16 cuts in 18 events on the LPGA Tour development circuit. Speaking at King Run Nanshan Golf Club ahead of the RMB500,000 China LPGA Tour event, the 25-year-old said she planned to return to the United States next month to improve her ranking through the LPGA Tour Q-Series. Only the top 10 players on the Tour points list earn a full card for next year's LPGA Tour season.
"The whole package is better this year. I can say that I am playing better throughout the bag, from driver to putter. But I still need to improve for the U.S. LPGA Tour, where the competition will be much more intense," said Wang, who finished tied for third at last month's Epson Tour Championship at Indian Wells.
"The key part is my energy. Nearly all events on the LPGA Tour are four-day competitions, and you need to plan for that exhausting schedule as a rookie. But it's nice to come back. My goal is a win in China, which I haven't achieved yet."
Also in the field for this week's tournament, a new event on the CLPGA Tour schedule, is fellow Tour player Zhang Yunxuan. The 19-year-old Shenzhen native made 12 of 13 cuts this season on the Tour, finishing the year 35th on the points list.
With rain in the forecast for the opening round, Zhang, a former standout at Southern Methodist University, said this week would be an "uphill battle" for the entire field at the 6,487-yard mountain course designed by the legendary Jack Nicklaus.
"Some of the holes are long in the chilly weather," said Zhang, who last year won the CGA Ladies Championship in Hainan Island by six strokes for her maiden pro win. "I won't set a goal for how many shots I should have. It's unpredictable with what happens over the three rounds. But I am well prepared for this week."
"I changed to a claw-putting grip about two weeks ago. It worked well in practice, and I want to see if it works here."
Looking to challenge the pros is top amateur Zhou Shiyuan. Last month, the 14-year-old Chongqing native closed with a final round 63 to rally from nine shots behind and win the Zhangjiagang Shuangshan Challenge by one stroke for her first CLPGA Tour title.
With the victory, Zhou became the Tour's youngest winner at 14 years, 10 months, and eight days.
"The win is still unreal even now. I was nine shots behind and then I had the round of my life. But I believe I can repeat that. Maybe this week is my time too. I will try to show my best game in front of the home crowd," said Zhou, ranked 122nd in the World Amateur Golf Ranking. "These days, many junior players are good. I actually think someone can break my record (for the youngest winner) soon." ■
